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Caffeine

ACTIVE

Caffeine

Caffeine, a naturally occurring purine alkaloid found in coffee, tea and cacao, and one of cosmetic chemistry's most established actives, used in eye-area care to help skin look fresher and more awake, and in scalp care for an invigorating feel.

Source

Caffeine (a plant compound found in coffee and tea)

Used for

Eye-area and body care

How it works

Caffeine is a naturally occurring purine alkaloid found in coffee, tea and cacao, and one of cosmetic chemistry's most established actives, with a long history of use in eye-area and body care.

Caffeine passes readily into the skin, partly by way of the hair follicles. In skincare it is valued as a skin-conditioning ingredient, used in eye-area creams, body care and scalp care.

In eye-area care, caffeine is used to help the area look fresher and more awake, and it pairs well with hydrating ingredients as part of a complete eye-care routine. In scalp care, it brings a fresh, invigorating feel.
  1. 01

    A naturally occurring purine alkaloid found in coffee, tea and cacao

  2. 02

    One of the most established actives in eye-area skincare, helping the eye area look fresher and more awake

  3. 03

    Brings a fresh, invigorating feel to scalp care

Questions

Is the caffeine in skincare the same as the caffeine in coffee?
Yes, it is the same molecule, a natural purine alkaloid found in coffee, tea and a number of other plants. In cosmetics it is applied to the skin rather than drunk, and it passes readily into the skin's outer layers. (Ashihara & Suzuki, 2004; Trauer et al., 2009)
Why is caffeine used in skincare?
The European cosmetic ingredient database lists caffeine as a skin-conditioning ingredient and notes its use in creams for the eye area, in products for the look of cellulite and in shampoos, where it is used to help skin look fresher and smoother. (COSMILE Europe; Gherardini et al., 2019)
Does caffeine get into the skin?
It does. Caffeine passes readily into the skin, travelling down the hair follicles as well as through the surface layers. (Trauer et al., 2009)
Is there research on caffeine for skin?
Yes. Studies on human skin show that caffeine passes readily into it, partly via the hair follicles, and it has a long-standing place in eye, body and scalp care. (Trauer et al., 2009; COSMILE Europe)

Where it comes from

Caffeine belongs to a group of plant compounds called purine alkaloids, which different plants build up in different amounts and in different parts of the plant. (Ashihara & Suzuki, 2004)

The best-known sources are coffee and tea, and caffeine is also found in a number of other plants, including cacao. (Ashihara & Suzuki, 2004) In cosmetics the same molecule is applied to the skin, and its ability to cross the skin barrier has made it a frequent subject of skin absorption research. (Trauer et al., 2009)

The research

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